Windhelm Main Gate exterior and Dyndolod

[gamingsrc]

Recently I started using Dyndolod (the version I use currently is 2.97) then I discovered that the mod do the following change to Windhelm Gate hightest step:

It cover the gate with white texture!

After investigation, it appear this is related to the reference

[REFR:0009F27E]

and the static

WHmaingatesteps [STAT:0009F27D]

modified by DynDOLOD.esp but DynDOLOD.esm more important here.

Disabling the two plugins fix the problem.

 

How I discovered it?

Originally I made this fix 

to vanilla steps overwriting the change made by "Landscape and Water Fixes" mod.

 

TexGen_SSE_log.txt

Edited December 15, 2021 by gamingsrc

[sheson]

2 hours ago, gamingsrc said:

Recently I started using Dyndolod (the version I use currently is 2.97) then I discovered that the mod do the following change to Windhelm Gate hightest step:

It cover the gate with white texture!

After investigation, it appear this is related to the reference

[REFR:0009F27E]

and the static

WHmaingatesteps [STAT:0009F27D]

modified by DynDOLOD.esp but DynDOLOD.esm more important here.

Disabling the two plugins fix the problem.

 

How I discovered it?

Originally I made this fix 

to vanilla steps overwriting the change made by "Landscape and Water Fixes" mod.

 

TexGen_SSE_log.txt 638.25 kB · 4 downloads

So what are the DynDOLOD plugins actually changing , especially the DynDOLOD.esm for the mentioned records in your case?
You seem to know but didn't actually write it...

Unclear what the TexGen log is supposed to show? Generating LOD textures does not affect full models.

[gamingsrc]

If you are interested here is my WB packages of installed mods:

https://pastebin.com/XekeEjBP

My list has nothing to do with usual Skyrim Guides and it's tweaked years after years.

Two thing changed my mind by 180 degree about Skyrim in the last two months:

1. Dyndolod

2. Paper World Map

I'm not trying to throw flowers but I was just thinking about it yesterday, if Bethesda updated their game to something equivalent to Dyndolod it would be more worth than all updates they made in the last 4 years.

 

I would also add that the mod:

Flickering Meshes Fix v1-7b

do some  dirty edits to meshes and conflict with Dyndolod with the files solitudebase.nif and  swindmill.nif

"Landscape and Water Fixes" also edit swindmill.nif but has no conflict with Dyndolod.

I ended completely removing the former from my list (loosing trust).

 

Why I say that "Dyndolod" is causing my windhelm Gate texture issue?

Because I removed my plugins one by one and the only plugins that rigger this problem is are Dyndolod ESP and ESM when activated.

[sheson]

You didn't answer my question. What are the DynDOLOD plugins doing to the two form ids you mentioned?
Assuming that the reference and base record are actually the object in question. Double-check you have right reference form id.

What are the supposed conflicts of solitudebase.nif and  swindmill.nif with DynDOLOD? DynDOLOD Resources SE does not contain these meshes, so with what do these meshes conflict?

[gamingsrc]

The two FormID I mentioned are vanilla records and I loaded the whole of my list of plugins in SSEdit and the first reference is edited by "Landscape and Waters Fixes mod":

Note that with my fix I restore vanilla records values because I didn't like what did the preceding mod (scale 1.1 and moving references of the Gate Steps) there (looks weird in the game).

But the issue of the last step of the stairs of Windhelm gate was there before my edit.

 

The second record "Skyrim Static Object) is only edited by Dyndolod in my load list:

 

But my current theory is that I have a mod installed editing a .Nif that conflict with Dyndolod.

(I have to do the trick of uninstalling mods that edit the meshes one by one until I find the culprit).

 

So now you ask what have to do a mod editing meshes like "Flickering Meshes Fix" with Dyndolod?

 

A mod like "Flickering Meshes Fix" that edit solitudebase.nif and  swindmill.nif (not in the right way) cause the following issues in game when combined with Dyndolod effects:

 

 

 

[sheson]

Are you sure that the weird step is in fact that reference form id?
DynDOLOD setting the HasLOD flag does not change the model or texture.
Are you certain the wierd step is not a new reference with a different form id?

Did you install the new swindmill.nif after generating LOD? Generate LOD from scratch for thew new load order with the new swindmill.nif already installed.

No clue what the solitudebase.nif have to do with LOD/DynDOLOD though or what it is that the arrow in the last screenshot is pointing at.

[gamingsrc]

I don't think the issue of the step comes from the record I mentioned but it's the only "physical form" recognized by the Creation Kit at that spot (reference is for the stair just above the gate).

Definitively it's a meshes problem:

I renamed my Data\Meshes folder to Data\Meshes00 and loaded the game and the issue of the weird white step disappeared with all my plugins (including Dyndolod) activated.

 

swindmill.nif was there before I generated my LODs (you can be sure I made several attempts with different scenarios). But this problem of Solitude is fixed for me by not using "swindmill.nif" and "SolitudeBase.nif'" from "Flickering Meshes Fix mod".

AFAIK there are only 3 mods that modify swindmill.nif:

- SMIM

- Landscape and Waters Fixes (the edit made by this mod is safe with Dyndolod and it's the one I'm using currently)

- Flickering Meshes Fix v1.7 (this mod cause a lot of issues and my problem was already mentioned in Reddit an old thread)

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by gamingsrc

[sheson]

13 minutes ago, gamingsrc said:

I don't think the issue of the step comes from the record I mentioned but it's the only "physical form" recognized by the Creation Kit at that spot (reference is for the stair just above the gate).

Definitively it's a meshes problem:

I renamed my Data\Meshes folder to Data\Meshes00 and loaded the game and the issue of the weird white step disappeared with all my plugins (including Dyndolod) activated.

 

swindmill.nif was there before I generated my LODs (you can be sure I made several attempts with different scenarios). But this problem of Solitude is fixed for me by not using "swindmill.nif" and "SolitudeBase.nif'" from "Flickering Meshes Fix mod".

AFAIK there are only 3 mods that modify swindmill.nif:

- SMIM

- Landscape and Waters Fixes (the edit made by this mod is safe with Dyndolod and it's the one I'm using currently)

- Flickering Meshes Fix v1.7 (this mod cause a lot of issues and my problem was already mentioned in Reddit an old thread)

 

Does the weird step have no form ID when clicking on it with console open?

[gamingsrc]

Found it (using Eveything tool and searching for the word "Windhelm" in my meshes folder), it's this .nif that cause the issue:

Data\meshes\lod\windhelm\whmaingatesteps_lod_0.nif

But the vanilla steps textures are not perfect as you can see in this picture:

beside SRO I don't see good textures mods for Windhelm (the general tendency of other mods is to make the town look clean or modern).

 

I'm also using this fix which is in my opinion very recommended. Does it have a relation with the issue when generating lods?

Edited December 16, 2021 by gamingsrc
Added a reference.

[gamingsrc]

41 minutes ago, sheson said:

Does the weird step have no form ID when clicking on it with console open?

The stairs near the gate a whole block represented by this .nif:

Architecture\Windhelm\WHmaingatesteps.nif

[sheson]

Again, try to answer the question. Open console and click the weird stairs and get their form id, then look it up in xEdit and check its Editor ID if it is in a DynDOLOD plugin.  It should tell use a plugin name and form id that this originates from.

Which DynDOLOD version are you using?

[gamingsrc]

What you are asking for (Opening a console and Clicking) is the first thing I did from the first day and it lead me to only this single reference:

0009F27E

(you can find it in my first post in this thread).

This is the reference of the whole block of stairs close to Windhelm Main gate.

And the reference lead to the static object created by this meshe

Architecture\Windhelm\WHmaingatesteps.nif

 

Finally the culprit meshe "whmaingatesteps_lod_0.nif" comes originally from this mod

DynDOLOD-Resources-SE.2.88.7z

I used to generate LODs with Dyndolod

Should I uninstall DynDOLOD-Resources-SE.2.88.7z after generating Dyndolod (though I think all the meshes of this mod are overwritten by Dyndolod)?

Edited December 16, 2021 by gamingsrc

[Mousetick]

6 hours ago, gamingsrc said:

AFAIK there are only 3 mods that modify swindmill.nif:

- SMIM

- Landscape and Waters Fixes (the edit made by this mod is safe with Dyndolod and it's the one I'm using currently)

- Flickering Meshes Fix v1.7 (this mod cause a lot of issues and my problem was already mentioned in Reddit an old thread)

It's a known issue with Flickering Meshes Fix. Either hide the faulty mesh in Flickering Meshes Fix in MO, or reinstall Flickering Mesh Fix and don't select the SMIM compatibility option.

The issue has nothing to do with DynDOLOD. When you run DynDOLOD to generate the LODs, it will helpfully warn you about the missing texture(s).

[gamingsrc]

33 minutes ago, Mousetick said:

It's a known issue with Flickering Meshes Fix. Either hide the faulty mesh in Flickering Meshes Fix in MO, or reinstall Flickering Mesh Fix and don't select the SMIM compatibility option.

The issue has nothing to do with DynDOLOD. When you run DynDOLOD to generate the LODs, it will helpfully warn you about the missing texture(s).

That's what I have said before and I even simplified the issue to the two files swindmill.nif and solitudebase.nif

Here is what I have in my WB installers folders

A mod making a compatibility issue like that must gain my trust to be installed.

(if he he has done it with SMIM why I should consider all others parts are safe?)

I was looking at the video tutorial from GamePoets

and all what have done the youtuber here in a tool like Vortex I do it in a more natural way via Windows Console:

Edited December 16, 2021 by gamingsrc

[sheson]

6 hours ago, gamingsrc said:

What you are asking for (Opening a console and Clicking) is the first thing I did from the first day and it lead me to only this single reference:

0009F27E

(you can find it in my first post in this thread).

This is the reference of the whole block of stairs close to Windhelm Main gate.

And the reference lead to the static object created by this meshe

Architecture\Windhelm\WHmaingatesteps.nif

 

Finally the culprit meshe "whmaingatesteps_lod_0.nif" comes originally from this mod

DynDOLOD-Resources-SE.2.88.7z

I used to generate LODs with Dyndolod

Should I uninstall DynDOLOD-Resources-SE.2.88.7z after generating Dyndolod (though I think all the meshes of this mod are overwritten by Dyndolod)?

As you have shown, the reference 0009F27E is not changed by DynDOLOD. The base record only has the HasDistantLOD flag set.

How do you suppose that reference shows whmaingatesteps_lod_0.nif instead of WHmaingatesteps.nif?

Typically there should be a new reference that places whmaingatesteps_lod_0.nif on top of WHmaingatesteps.nif.

In console, after highlighting 0009F27E, type disable. The steps from whmaingatesteps_lod_0.nif should still be there and should hopefully be clickable and show a different form id.

If the whmaingatesteps_lod_0.nif steps can not be clicked, see if they go away by typing tll in console.

[gamingsrc]

I typed TLL and the white step didn't disappear but now when clicking on it, it gave me the following reference:

060041A6

which mean the record of Dynlolod.esm:

Skyrimesm_09F27F_DynDOLOD_TOWN [REFR:060041A6] (places WHmaingatesteps_DynDOLOD_LOD [STAT:060041A7] in GRUP Cell Temporary Children of WindhelmExterior01 [CELL:0000B4BB] (in Tamriel "Skyrim" [WRLD:0000003C] at 32,8)) 

Edited December 16, 2021 by gamingsrc